It was a mixture of sorrowful emotion and powerful speeches today at the Fraser Suites venue of the 5th Valuechain Lecture and Awards when the late Secretary General of OPEC, H.E. Dr. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo was posthumously honoured with “Life time Achievement” award.
A lot of guests in the hall could not hold their tears when the publisher Valuechain Oil and Gas magazine – chief host of the event, Alhaji Musa Bashir Usman invited members of the Editorial Advisory Council, Mrs Omotayo Omotosho and Prof. Omowumi Iledare to the stage to jointly present the award to late Barkindo’s younger brother, Mallam Abduljalal Barkindo.
As alternate chairman of the Valuechain Editorial Advisory Council, Barkindo had already accepted to be the chairman of the 5th Lecture and Award occasion when the cold hands of death unexpectedly snatched him.
In his emotional reaction after receiving the award, Mallam Abduljalal Barkindo tearfully extolled the virtues of the Valuechain Magazine publisher for the honour done to his late brother: “On behalf of my beloved family and your immediate past alternate chairman, my late brother, H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, I sincerely express the gratitude of my e tire family to the management and staff of Valuechain energy publication for deeming this award necessary”
He expressed his appreciation thus: “I thank you for recognizing our brother’s little contributions to the development of the energy industry in Nigeria Africa and the world at large. I sincerely wish your organisation very prosperous years ahead”.
Earlier in his welcome address, the publisher, Musa Bashir Usman had welcomed guests and re-emphasized the importance of the Lecture’s theme: “The Impact of Nigerian Content Law: Taking a Cue from the Successes in the Oil and Gas Industry”.
He urged speakers and panelists to do justice to the theme with a view to moving the industry forward. A member of the Editorial Advisory Council, Mrs Omotayo Omotosho perfectly served as moderator of the panelists while another member of the Advisory Council, Prof. Omowumi Iledare served as chairman of the occasion.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of plaques to all the awardees. Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Hajiya Aisha Farida Katagum, expressed delight for the honour and commended Valuechain for its role as Africa’s leading oil and gas magazine. “I am glad to say that Valuechain is the only existing oil and gas magazine that has stood the test of time, having become a publication subscribed to by OPEC.